Smile for Me
by starry night blue
Summary: [ONESHOT] Could a smile make a difference? Would it make a difference for the Ichijojis? [a Ken and Sam Ichijoji fic]


**D/C: I don't own Digimon… (Sigh!)**

**Ok, folks, here's another one-shot of mine, and I really like the idea of this one, that's why I couldn't stop myself from typing it when I got the idea…and mind you, I had an exam the next day! Oh, by the way, this fic's kinda fast, don't read if you're not a fan of such stuff. **

**Well, anyway, read on and enjoy!**

**Smile for Me**

'Isn't he adorable? Aw! Look how cute and cuddly he is! Sam! Come over here and have a look at your brother!'

I've been standing here for what seemed like ages, staring at that little bundle of cloth mom was holding and gushing over. Could that really be my brother? That tiny little thing?

'Go on, Sam…your brother won't bite, he doesn't have the teeth for that' dad said, smiling. He gave me a gentle nudge from the back. 'Go on'

I took a deep breath, and marched towards mom's bed. Mom lowered the bundle of cloth towards me, and pried the cloth away so I could have a peek at my baby brother.

I gasped. 'He's so small!' I cried.

The baby's head could have been the size of my dad's fist. It was tinged with pink and was a bit plump. One of his hands stuck out of the bundle and I saw that it was too tiny as well.

Mom laughed. 'Of course he's small, Sammy…you were small like that when you were born, everybody's like that' she told me.

I looked back apprehensively at the baby. I was like that? I was that tiny! Even as I watched, the baby opened its little eyes and I saw that they were a pretty shade of blue…just like mine! The baby looked at me…and then it smiled.

This time it was my mother who gasped. 'Oh my God! He opened his eyes!' she cried, and waved an impatient hand at my father to beckon him forward. 'Look! He's opened his eyes! Babies don't open their eyes until they're a few days old!'

'Yeah, he's pretty amazing! And look at the way he's smiling!' my dad exclaimed.

'Mom! Dad! He's smiling at me!' I said happily. 'He looked up and smiled at me!'

Dad smiled warmly at me. 'Of course he did, Sam…that's because he likes you' he told me.

My eyes widened and I mouthed soundlessly. Then I looked back at my brother, and he looked back, and he smiled again.

'Would you like to hold him, Sam?' mom asked.

I looked at her in wonder. 'I can?' I asked.

'Sure you can' she said. She gently put him into my arms. 'Be careful, though'

I held my brother tightly. 'He's so light!' I exclaimed.

Mom nodded. Then the baby reached out its tiny hand and touched my cheek, I grinned.

'See how he likes you, Sammy?' she said. 'Will you like him back?'

'Yup!' I assured her. 'I'll like him and take good care of him! I'm his big brother now!'

My brother was named Ken, and he grew up to be a wonderful, happy kid. He was five now, and I was only ten…ten and three months that is, I had my birthday three months ago and it was brilliant, except that Ken had accidentally smashed the cake and mom had to go get another one.

Ken was always so cheerful and happy. He would always smile at me, just like the time he smiled at me on the first day after he was born, it was exactly the same…the way his lips would curve up and his dimples would show and his eyes would scrunch up…he looked really cute every time he did it.

Ken was also gentle. I've never seen a boy…let alone a girl…more gentle than Ken. He was totally against violence; I've never seen him hurt a fly. I remember the times when mom used to set up mousetraps and he used to sneak at night and free the mice…the mice problem got so bad mom had to call up an exterminator, against Ken's bawling and protesting. He was always so sweet and kind and helpful…and when he couldn't offer any help, he would just sit by your side and entertain you…just like the times when he sat on the kitchen counter while mom cooked…or the times he sat yawning beside me when I was studying late at night…

I hate to admit it, but I was jealous of Ken. He was always everybody's favorite. It was always like this, "Oh! Look how adorable Kenny is!", and "Oh! Kenny, you're so cute!"…it was sickening.

I guess that's why I worked up a sweat at school trying to be the top of my class, studying so hard the teachers started worrying for me…I became top of my class, top of my school…top of my town…I did that to grab attention…I wanted people to look at me first, not after Ken…I didn't want to hear them say, "Oh! Look! That's cute little Kenny!...and that's his brother…", I wanted to hear them say, "That's Sam, this kid's brilliant, he's really wonderful…and that's the other Ichijoji kid, Ken…right?".

Yeah, I know, it's kinda mean of me, but I was striving for attention, and I got it.

Mom and dad became more focused on me. They gushed about me in front of their neighbors, their colleagues, their friends…the whole street knew about me…maybe the whole town, I don't know; I had become pretty famous.

Me…not Ken…

What about Ken? At first, he used to come up to me, all-smiles, and squeal about all his little friends know me and talk about me all the time…he seemed to be really happy that I earned all this fame, and kept urging me on…coming after me at home with my school bag and forcing me to study. And then he began to change…

Ken is not stupid…in fact; he's very bright…maybe even more than me. It's just that he doesn't like to work so hard, he prefers to hang around and play, and doesn't use all of his potentials. Anyway, the point is, Ken noticed he was being left-out, ignored…and he didn't like it.

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes…but a dramatic change took over Ken. He was no longer the sweet happy kid…most of the time we'd see him sulking in a corner, with this ugly scowl on his face. He became rude and annoying…he even started bullying people around and hurting animals and all that stuff. I was shocked.

Was that Kenny, my adorable little brother? That little angel? Was that really him? Had he become this horrible?

He was most rude towards me. He kept thrashing my stuff around, he kept annoying me, he called me names…all that I put up with, but what I couldn't put up with was when Ken came and screamed in my face that he hates me.

He had been really bugging me that day and I went and told mom. Mom, of course, told him off and punished him. That made Ken so angry and he came up to me when I was studying, wrenched my math book out of my hands and screamed, "I HATE YOU!"

That sucked.

He wouldn't talk to me anymore; whenever I spoke, he'd put his hands up to his ears to block out my voice, or he would just pretend not to be listening. I tried to be nice to him, but nothing worked…he just never talked to me again…

He never smiled at me again.

He had become cold…as cold as those ice-cream balls in the cup before me. Mom took us out today for ice-cream; Ken had been a good boy for the day and she was going to treat him, but she took me along…I don't think Ken was happy with that, though.

We finished up the ice-cream and left the ice-cream parlor. Mom ran into a friend of hers outside the parlor and stopped to chat. I hate it when mom stops to chat with a friend of hers; we end up waiting by her side for at least half an hour before she realizes that we're standing on the street.

Just our luck that the ice-cream parlor was right across the road from a pet store. Ken stood there, his eyes bulging as he stared at the animals in the display; Ken has always had this thing for animals, I told you that.

I didn't expect Ken to do anything but stand and stare, and that was fine with me…at least he won't spend the time glaring at me. So, it was a total surprise for me when Ken stepped out onto the road.

I gasped in horror, and tugged impatiently at mom's sleeve, but mom shrugged me off and continued to talk to her friend.

'Mom! It's Ken! Look!' I cried.

But mom took no heed of my cries. I looked back at Ken. Ok, I was wrong; Ken is dumb, what was he doing crossing the road! He was smiling…smiling like he used to…he seemed to be hypnotized by those animals!

…and then I saw the speeding motorcycle…I saw it heading right towards Ken!

'Mom!' I cried. 'Ken!'

'Sam! Shush!' mom said, sharply, without even looking at me.

I sucked in a deep breath. If mom wasn't going to help Ken, then it was up to me to do something…

_I'll like him and take good care of him! I'm his big brother now!_

'Ken!' I cried out to him. 'Look out!'

Ken shook his head as if he were in a trance, and he looked around. His eyes widened as he saw the motorcycle…but he didn't move. He just stood there and stared at the approaching motorcycle…

I bit down on my lip. Why wasn't the motorcycle driver slowing down? Couldn't he see Ken! Then I saw that the guy was talking onto his cell phone…he wasn't even concentrating on the road!

If Ken was dumb…then I was surely an idiot…

'No! Ken!' I cried, jumping out onto the road.

I rushed towards my brother…my baby brother…I pushed him out of the way…he fell back and stumbled onto the pavement…

And me?

I got hit.

'SAM!'

The pain which seared through my body was like nothing that I've ever felt…it was excruciating, horrible…I felt like my whole body was on fire…

'Sam…'

Despite the pain, I opened my eyes. Ken was sitting by my side, peering into my face…same way I peered into his face when he was born…

'Kenny, you okay?' I choked.

Ken nodded, and he smiled at me. Ken smiled at me.

_Mom! Dad! He's smiling at me! He looked up and smiled at me!_

'Sam…are _you_ okay?' he said softly.

But before I could reply, I felt mom pulling me into her arms, I felt her pressing my face against her chest…I felt her chest heaving as she cried…

_Sam…are you okay?_

Was I okay? Yes, I was. I took care of my brother like I promised, and I was rewarded with his smile…

I held out my hand, and I felt Ken's little ones hold them tight, as if he were willing me to stay with him…

But I was drifting away…the pain in my body was fading…and the feeling of Ken's firm grip was fading…

I'm sorry, Ken…I wanted to stay…but I couldn't…I couldn't…

Just continue to smile, Ken, and the world will be okay…you'll see…

**A/N: So, how was that? Too dramatic, huh? Well, anyway, that's all what I have to give, so live with it. If you liked it, though…you can always review, right? **

_**-ZEN.**_


End file.
